Best triathlon watches 2022 – tracking your swims, bikes, and runs

A wristwatch used to be such a simple tool, it would tell you the time and that was it. But nowadays, you can wear a computer on your wrist, access the internet and make phone calls, use GPS tracking and emergency alerts, and even track your heart rate and calories burned for 12 hours at a time. The evolution of watches has been something to behold in the last two decades, and who else would be first in line other than endurance athletes? We love our numbers, our data, our steps, and our speed.

In the old days, we would track it by pen or paper, or maybe not at all. Then we got pedometers, then heart rate monitors, then GPS, and soon came the smartwatch. In this article, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about the best triathlon watches.

We previously covered the best smartwatch for cycling , as well as the best cycling computers , but here, we are diving into the data-rich world of triathlon. Ranging from the basic numbers to incredible technological features, these watches are designed for every level of triathlete. Whether you are a complete newbie or a seasoned professional, there is a watch in this list designed for you.

But before we get into our list, we need a quick refresher on triathlon watches and the criteria that we will be using to describe them. Of utmost importance is GPS capabilities. Without these, we would hardly be tracking our activities, and more just guessing where we were and how fast we went.

Accurate GPS can tell us everything we need to know about our training, and most importantly our speed. Triathlon – an endurance sport – is judged by speed. Whoever crossed the line first (and thus has the fastest average speed) is the winner.

To help you go fast, we’ve also covered the best triathlon shoes and the best triathlon saddles . Without an accurate GPS, we cannot track our training or racing through our watch. Perhaps you could use a GPS head unit on the bike, but are you then going to carry that with you on the run? And what about the swim? A watch is the all-encompassing GPS tool that we can use to track our triathlon training and racing.

It is also important to have wireless capabilities and thus the ability to connect to external sensors such as heart rate monitors and power meters. That data needs to go somewhere, and the best triathlon watches are the place to do it. For long-course triathletes, battery life is incredibly important because the last thing you need is for your watch to die 10 hours into your Ironman.

You also need multisport capabilities in your watch, which is never more apparent than in a triathlon where you literally compete in three sports back-to-back-to-back. The categories of lesser importance are smart technology, 24/7 metric tracking, additional wireless connectivity, and turn-by-turn navigation. We will discuss these features more at the end.

(Image credit: Zach Nehr) Garmin Forerunner 945 Best triathlon watch overall Specifications Battery Life: 36 hours (10 hours with music) Weight: 50g Touchscreen: No Music: Yes Open-water swimming: Yes Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Best Buy (opens in new tab) View at Competitive Cyclist (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Garmin ClimbPro + Includes pulse oximeter (PulseOx) + Full wireless connectivity Reasons to avoid – Buttons instead of touchscreen – GPS and navigation is not always accurate Garmin has so many options on the triathlon watch market that it is hard to narrow them down; but of all the options, the Forerunner 945 is our favourite overall. For a modest price – by Garmin standards – you get a host of features unseen by competitors and all the top-tier quality that Garmin is known for. Some of these new features are the Garmin ClimbPro, which detects and details upcoming climbs, displaying them on the watch’s screen.

There are even altitude and heat acclimation features that also appear on Garmin’s cycling computers . There are also contactless payments, which is a feature that is great to have for long training rides that include café stops. When it comes to using the watch, the Forerunner 945 uses buttons instead of a touchscreen.

The buttons are easy, but I personally prefer a touchscreen. The usual Garmin quality is present throughout this watch, including the full-colour screen with maps and onboard music – you can also stream music through the Forerunner 945. The pulse oximeter is another cool feature, and in addition to that, there are too many more to list.

Full wireless connectivity works seamlessly with Bluetooth, ANT+, and even Wi-Fi, putting this watch at the top of our list. For experienced triathletes who can handle the price tag, we think the Garmin Forerunner 945 is the best triathlon watch available. (Image credit: Zach Nehr) Suunto 9 Baro Titanium Best triathlon watch for durability Specifications Battery Life: 25 hours minimum (four different GPS modes) Weight: 81g Touchscreen: Yes Music: Yes Open-water swimming: Yes Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Long battery life (120 hours in Ultra setting) + Titanium wrist band is durable and comfortable + Sapphire crystal glass screen Reasons to avoid – Very heavy – Lacking music storage The Suunto 9 Baro Titanium has the feel of a premium sports watch.

It is a little on the heavy side – almost double the weight of some other watches on this list – but it is built solidly. The titanium strap and sapphire crystal glass screen are second-to-none. There are four different options for GPS battery life, with a life of 25 hours in the highest setting, and a whopping 170 hours in the lowest setting called Tour mode.

Heart rate and fitness tracking are as good as you’d expect from a watch at this price point, but you’ll need to have the Suunto Heart Rate Belt and Suunto Smart Sensor in order to track your heart rate underwater. Not every user will be thrown off by this downside, but it’s certainly worth noting. Rated to 100 ATM, you can swim almost anywhere with this watch, adding to the rugged feeling given by the titanium and crystal glass materials.

Its weight might be notable at first, but once you’re used to it, many will find the Suunto 9 Baro Titanium to be as comfortable as any other. In the world of triathlon watches, you cannot find an option as robust and capable as the Suunto 9 Baro Titanium, especially at this price point. (Image credit: Zach Nehr) Wahoo Elemnt Rival Most unique multisport features Specifications Battery Life: 24 hours Weight: 54g Touchscreen: No Music: Yes Open-water swimming: Yes Today’s Best Deals View at Competitive Cyclist (opens in new tab) View at Backcountry.

com (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + 24-hour battery life + Automatic multi-sport handoff capabilities Reasons to avoid – Value for price – Few lifestyle functions The shining feature of the Wahoo Elemnt Rival Multisport GPS Watch is its multiport handoff feature which allows you to seamlessly transition from swim to bike to run. No other watch in the triathlon space has this capability. This watch will automatically detect when you’re transitioning to a new activity, and even transfer your data to a nearby device such as the Wahoo Elemnt Roam.

In terms of convenience, this watch is arguably the best for triathletes. Unfortunately, the multisport handoff is the only standout feature of this watch. The rest is pretty average for this price point, and compared to some cheaper watches later in this list, you might want a few more features for this price.

(Image credit: Zach Nehr) Garmin Forerunner 745 A cheaper version of the best overall Garmin Forerunner 945 Specifications Battery Life: 16 hours (6 hours with music) Weight: 47g Touchscreen: No Music: Yes Open-water swimming: Yes Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Best Buy (opens in new tab) View at Garmin US (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + More affordable than most Garmin watches + Touchless payments Reasons to avoid – Very poor battery life for the price The Forerunner 745 is the cheaper version of the Forerunner 945 that sacrifices very few features. Overall, the drop in quality is marginal, and many buyers will opt for the cheaper version. However, perhaps the biggest difference between the two watches is their respective battery lives.

While the Forerunner 945 can last more than a day, the Forerunner 745 can only last 16 hours with GPS, and only 6 hours while listening to music. For a watch at this price point, that is pretty disappointing. As for the rest of the Forerunner 745, it is fantastic.

All the usual Garmin features are here, including multisport capabilities, fantastic GPS, and excellent data tracking. You can even use Garmin Pay for touchless payments through this watch, and keep track of your VO2 Max each training session. Garmin can also provide daily workout suggestions based on your recent training, which is a cool feature for those that are looking for more guidance in their training.

Built with high-quality materials, the Forerunner 745 is extremely durable and can thrive in any workout environment. For a hefty watch with such a large display screen, the Forerunner 745 is remarkably light, and one of the few multisport watches with this amount of capabilities that weighs in at less than 50g. (Image credit: Zach Nehr) Coros Apex Pro Premium A great value triathlon watch Specifications Battery Life: 40 hours Weight: 59g Touchscreen: Yes (optional) Music: No Open-water swimming: Yes Reasons to buy + Sapphire glass screen + 64 different colours to choose from Reasons to avoid – Not extremely durable – No music or Wi-Fi The Coros Apex Pro Premium is a bit like a cheaper version of the Suunto 9 Baro Titanium.

Both multisport watches have touchscreens made of sapphire glass and a titanium bezel. However, the Coros weighs – and costs – significantly less. Of course, there are downsides.

The Coros Apex Pro has a shorter battery life, and fewer settings than the Suunto, so for adventurers – or people who forget to charge their devices – the Suunto is going to be the better option. But with a host of similar features and overall capabilities, the lighter and cheaper Coros Apex Pro is a fantastic value triathlon watch. The GPS functionality and navigation features are among the best, even when stacked up against watches that cost twice as much.

You also get options with the Coros Apex Pro Premium, and lots of them. The watch comes in 64 different colours, so there is certainly something for everyone. Users also get to choose between a touchscreen and button navigation, and two different battery settings including the battery-life saving Ultra Max mode which can help the watch last up to 100 hours.

But with a host of similar features and overall capabilities, the lighter and cheaper Coros Apex Pro is a fantastic value triathlon watch. The GPS functionality and navigation features are among the best, even when stacked up against watches that cost twice as muchThere are even 200+ strength training exercises to choose from. (Image credit: Zach Nehr) Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar High-end, premium triathlon watch Specifications Battery Life: 36 hours (40 hours with solar) Weight: 85g (steel) or 72g (aluminium) Touchscreen: No Music: Yes Open-water swimming: Yes Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Walmart (opens in new tab) View at Best Buy (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Power Glass solar charging lens + Offers three different screen sizes (30.

4mm, 33. 0mm, and 35. 6mm) Reasons to avoid – High price – Bulky as an everyday watch This watch has got to be our favourite, and it will be yours too if you can afford it.

Tipping the scales are nearly $800, the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar is the most capable watch on this list, with literally two pages of features to explore. Compared to the Fenix 6 – which is another great watch for triathlon – the Fenix 6 Pro Solar sets itself apart with its Power Glass solar charging lens that can help recharge the watch so that it lasts for up to 14 days. There are even customisable power manager modes that you can adjust at any time.

Also customisable are the screen size, wrist strap colour, and premium materials: titanium, stainless steel, or DLC coated bezels. Topo maps are also included in the Fenix 6 Pro Solar, which are maps specifically created for outdoor activities using OpenStreetMap. Of course, this watch comes with excellent GPS and navigation capabilities, as well as onboard music.

There is also the PacePro feature, which can give you pace guidance based on your exact terrain. For long-course triathletes who spend many hours on long training sessions, the Fenix 6 Pro Solar is a great fit. Its self-charging solar feature is unlike anything else, and you can easily go all day while using many of the watch’s features – you can’t find that in any competitors.

The watch includes all the usual wireless connectivity capabilities, as well as optical heart rate measurement, and pulse oximetry. Designed for triathletes looking to take their long rides to the next level, look no further than the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar. (Image credit: Polar) Polar Vantage V2 Great battery life in a premium multisport watch Specifications Battery Life: 40 hours (100 hours in power-saving modes) Weight: 52g Touchscreen: Yes (with buttons, too) Music: Yes Open-water swimming: Yes Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Walmart (opens in new tab) View at Backcountry.

com (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + 40-hours GPS battery life + Aluminium case saves weight + Great UX Reasons to avoid – Gorilla glass lens is only par for this price point – Not everyone will love the circular style Designed for experienced and long-course triathletes, the Polar Vantage 2 is a big upgrade from Polar’s previous generations, with a number of physiological metric capabilities that few competitors can match. Polar added their new Precision Prime Heart Rate Sensor to the Vantage 2, which improves heart rate measurement accuracy, as well as the ability to read Heart Rate Variability metrics. One feature that you can also find on the Polar Grit X is the power management feature designed for long-course triathletes and adventurers.

Within these settings, users can optimize GPS recording, heart rate sensor readings, and screensaver settings to get the most out of their watch while also saving the battery. The aluminium case saves weight compared to previous Polar watches which used stainless steel cases. Surprisingly, this also improves GPS accuracy, which is excellent overall in the Polar Vantage 2.

New watch face interfaces have been added, as well as the ability to control the music being played from an external device. The Vantage 2 cannot store music, but it can stream wirelessly from other devices. (Image credit: Fitbit) Fitbit Flex 2 Best Fitbit watch for triathlon Specifications Battery Life: 5 days (may vary with use) Weight: 23.

5g Touchscreen: Yes (kind of) Music: No Open-water swimming: No (but it is swim-proof) Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Walmart (opens in new tab) View at Amazon (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Super affordable + Sleek and lightweight + All-day activity tracking Reasons to avoid – No GPS – No display The Fitbit Flex 2 is the first Fitbit device that is swim-proof, and with that, it became the first Fitbit for triathletes. Fitbit is known for its all-day activity tracking, and with the Flex 2, you also get sleep and recovery tracking. The design is slim and sleek, and significantly lighter than any other watch for triathlons.

Not every triathlete needs accurate GPS maps and VO2 Max tracking – what Fitbit offers is simple and affordable. The Flex 2 is perfect for beginner triathletes, or those who just want to have fun. You’ll be able to track all of your swims, bikes, and runs, and you can have it all for a fraction of the price of other triathlon watches.

The Fitbit Flex 2 doesn’t actually have a display screen – instead, it has a set of LED lights that will light up with notifications. Comparably, the Flex 2 also has an excellent battery life in the triathlon watch field, and it is super lightweight at just 23. 5g.

Designed for sleep simplicity, the Fitbit Flex 2 is a great budget option for a triathlon watch, with all the capabilities you need to track your multisport workouts, and get fitter and faster. (Image credit: Polar) Polar Grit X Pro Most accurate triathlon watch Specifications Battery Life: 40 hours Weight: 79g Touchscreen: Yes Music: Yes Open-water swimming: Yes Today’s Best Deals View at Amazon (opens in new tab) View at Pro Bike Kit (opens in new tab) View at Backcountry. com (opens in new tab) Reasons to buy + Fantastic data capabilities + Built-in running with power Reasons to avoid – Poor everyday battery life – Touchscreen doesn’t respond instantly Where the Polar Grit X Pro shines is in the data.

This watch is among the best, with tons of wireless capabilities and super-accurate heart rate tracking. The Grit X Pro is built as the name suggests: strong and durable. It’s hard to find a non-titanium watch that can be beaten down as much as this, especially at this price point.

There are loads of data features not limited to just heart rate and GPS. You can also track your recovery and sleep, as well as read into your workout difficulty, all through the Polar Grit X Pro. Having both a touchscreen and button navigation, you’d expect that this watch is easy to use – but not quite.

The Polar Grit X Pro’s UX isn’t the best, especially for a touchscreen smartwatch at this price point. The touchscreen can be slow to respond, which is especially frustrating when you are mid-activity and in need of some quick data or GPS reroute. The other small downside is the watch’s battery life, which isn’t all bad.

The GPS life is actually quite good, listed at 40 hours. But the everyday battery life is only seven days, which is quite low to comparable smartwatches. However, it only takes an hour to fully recharge – so once again, it’s not all bad.

How to choose the best triathlon watch for you When it comes to choosing a watch for a triathlon, all you need to know is this: choose a watch that provides everything you are looking for. If you are a long-distance triathlete, choose a watch that has long battery life. If you are a short-course triathlete, choose a watch that has the GPS and wireless capabilities you need, but not necessarily one with a long-lasting battery.

If you want a watch to use for training and exploring more than racing, then choose a watch with great GPS capabilities, smart technology, the ability to play music, and emergency alerts. But if you’re a beginner looking to track their training for the very first time, go with a cheaper watch with basic GPS capabilities, and without all the extras. There are a few watches loaded with extra features that – frankly – no one ever uses.

If you are one of those select few who love diving into the data weeds, go right ahead. But know that it is going to cost you. Battery life and GPS capabilities are two of the more basic metrics that can help you determine which triathlon watch you need, whereas wireless connectivity is an important feature for most.

Having a watch that continually measures your heart rate (and maybe some other metrics) throughout the day is a great feature for buyers looking for a watch that covers wellness in addition to athletics. With these features, you can better track your recovery and everyday activities. Overall, there are so many options out there when it comes to triathlon watches.

There is also a huge price range that starts at less than $200 and goes to well over a grand. Think about what you will be using the watch for, and exactly what you need from it. You will be paying a premium for extra features, so make sure you’re going to use them before making your final purchase.

Which is the best triathlon watch? The best triathlon watch is the one that fits your needs. For long-distance triathletes, that means a watch with long battery life. Those who like to train with music should choose a triathlon watch that can carry music.

And if you want a stylish triathlon watch that you can wear 24/7/365, it’s worth taking a closer look at the pictures to see what you want to be wrapped around your wrist. For the average triathlete, mid-range triathlon watches such as the Garmin Forerunner 945 or Polar Vantage 2 are our favourite options. Those looking for the premium experience can go with a higher-end triathlon watch such as the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar, whereas beginners may find that the Timex IRONMAN r300 fits all their needs.

Are triathlon-specific watches worth it? For most triathletes, a triathlon-specific watch is almost certainly worth it. What you’ll get is a host of activity and fitness features that cannot be matched by other types of watches. GPS capability is another area where triathlon-specific watches shine – the accuracy is, again, unmatched.

Some watches such as the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar offer super-precise measurements, whereas others like the Garmin Forerunner 945 are not as accurate. One of the most unique triathlon-specific watches is the Wahoo ELEMNT Rival Multisport GPS Watch which includes automatic multi-spot handoff capabilities. You cannot find this feature in most other triathlon watches, let alone a watch that is not specifically designed for triathlons.

Is a touchscreen triathlon watch better than a triathlon watch with buttons? While touchscreen triathlon watches may seem more intuitive, they are typically not as easy to use as a button-operated triathlon watch. There is a learning curve for watches with buttons, but in our experience, it only takes a few days to get used to it. Button-operated triathlon watches are typically easier to use during training, especially when bouncing around on a run or flying down the road on a bike.

A touchscreen may be easier to use on the side of the road, but it requires a great precision that can be difficult to attain during training or racing. Casual triathletes or fitness fanatics may prefer touchscreen triathlon watches for their ease of use, whereas serious triathletes will prefer a button-operated triathlon watch. How we test the best triathlon watches We wore these watches 24/7 and tested them out in the wind, rain, heat, and everything in between.

Some days we wore the watches in the pool or out on the open water, testing the GPS signal in more settings than one. In addition to the overall feeling of the watch, we tested as many of its features as we could (without breaking the watch, of course). And when we were all done with our activities, we left the watches turned on until their batteries ran out.

Some watches took days and some took weeks. Round up of today’s best deals Reduced Price (opens in new tab) Garmin Forerunner 945 (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) $599. 99 (opens in new tab) $459.

70 (opens in new tab) View (opens in new tab) See all prices (opens in new tab) Suunto 9 Baro Titanium (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) $416. 98 (opens in new tab) View (opens in new tab) See all prices Reduced Price (opens in new tab) Wahoo Elemnt Rival (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) $379. 99 (opens in new tab) $249.

99 (opens in new tab) View (opens in new tab) See all prices Reduced Price (opens in new tab) Garmin Forerunner 745 (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) $499. 99 (opens in new tab) $429. 94 (opens in new tab) View (opens in new tab) See all prices Reduced Price (opens in new tab) Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) $799.

99 (opens in new tab) $659 (opens in new tab) View (opens in new tab) See all prices Reduced Price (opens in new tab) Polar Vantage V2 (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) $499. 95 (opens in new tab) $447. 52 (opens in new tab) View (opens in new tab) See all prices (opens in new tab) Fitbit Flex 2 (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) $65.

62 (opens in new tab) View (opens in new tab) See all prices Reduced Price (opens in new tab) Polar Grit X Pro (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) $499. 95 (opens in new tab) $449. 96 (opens in new tab) View (opens in new tab) See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by.